Conan the Barbarian is one of the most popular sword and sorcery epics ever created, and it's still as enormously popular today as it was when author Robert E. Howard introduced the character way back in 1932. Since that time, several big screen movies and countless comic book adaptations have turned it into a staple of fantasy/sci-fi pop culture.
Every good hero like Conan requires villains that can serve up a challenge and provide hurdles through which he can grow. Conan has a lot of them, many of which stand head and shoulders in terms of sheer power. Though Conan has managed to triumph, plenty of his bad guys definitely provided a worthwhile challenge.
10 Kulan Gath Is Immortal & Always Comes Back To Life
Kulan Gath faced down both Conan and Red Sonja during the Hyborian Era, and he proved to be one of the stronger foes of the time. This wicked sorcerer achieved immortality by imbuing a mystical amulet with his life energy. For this reason, he was able to cheat death over and over again, returning each time to wreak havoc on his enemies.
Even after being beheaded by Conan, and his heart cut from his chest by Red Sonja, the villainous Gath was able to return to life once more. He would eventually be integrated into the larger Marvel Comics universe where he fought against Spider-Man, Venom, the X-Men, and the Avengers.
9 Thog Is A Demon Who Can Easily Decimate A City
Few beings in the Conan universe are as morally bankrupt or evil as Thog, an ancient demon who stalks the city of Xuthal. This creature single-handedly managed to decimate the city's populace throughout the years, and it's mostly their fault for believing themselves to be necessary sacrifices for his appeasement.
Frog-like in appearance, with glowing eyes and an insatiable appetite for evil, Thog was eventually beaten by Conan who overcame its ferocious strength long enough to hurl it down a chasm.
8 Dagoth Served Under Shuma-Gorath & Was Worshipped As A High Priest
Dagoth is a villain featured in both the Conan comics, as well as the big screen Arnold Schwarzenegger film Conan the Destroyer. He was originally a demon under service to the dreaded Shuma-Gorath, and was worshipped as a high priest within the city Kalumesh.
In Conan the Destroyer, Dagoth was a god worshipped by the people of Shadizar who fell to Earth in a weakened state. The being was resurrected after a jeweled horn was placed on the forehead of its statue form, where it battled Conan to the death.
7 Thulsa Doom Has Also Been A Nemesis Of Kull The Conqueror
Thulsa Doom is best known to fans as a character portrayed by James Earl Jones in the original Conan the Barbarian movie, also starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. His roots in the Conanverse stretch back much farther, however. The character was introduced in Robert E. Howard's original short story "Delcardes' Cat," where he squared off against Kull the Conqueror.
In fact, Thulsa Doom would go on to become Kull's arch-nemesis before resurfacing to battle Conan the Barbarian in the Savage Sword storyline. In the film, Doom runs a hedonistic snake cult, and is more closely associated with Conan villain Thoth-Amon than the skull-faced Kull antagonist.
6 Shuma-Gorath Has Limitless Power Akin To Dormammu
Shuma-Gorath is tied to the Marvel universe where the character shares an antagonistic relationship with Doctor Strange, but its roots go farther back. This ancient alien entity battled Conan the Barbarian, who, with the help of the Hyborian god Crom, managed to send the evil deity back to its home dimension.
This particular villain's powers are nearly limitless, putting it on a level akin to such galactic forces as Dormammu in terms of abilities. He even enlisted the help of the aforementioned Kulan Gath to effect his evil plans on the world, which demonstrates his level of power and influence.
5 Wrarrl Is A Devourer Of Souls
Otherwise known as the Devourer of Souls, this big baddie proved to be quite a match for Conan when the two crossed paths. According to legend, Wrarrl was an ancient god summoned by a cult who inadvertently released another being known as the Destroyer of Worlds at the same time. Wrarrl consumed the souls of the cult to amass enough power to vanquish his rival, and died in the process.
Later, he would be resurrected, and faced Conan in a battle that ended up costing him his demonic form. He would later team up with the fire demon Xuthl after awakening post-fight in his human form; the only thing left behind from his battle with Conan.
4 Zath Is A Giant Spider God With A Massive Army
Giant spiders make for powerful villains, as evidenced by characters like Shelob from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This particular arachnid was worshipped as a deity, and its offspring were designed to be an army that could overwhelm the land of Zamora.
Conan crossed paths with Zath during a journey to the city of Yezud in an effort to remove a bounty on his head. Fighting the giant spider proved fruitless, and Conan was only able to win the day by throwing several lit torches onto its back, causing Zath to writhe in agony and topple the the surrounding temple, burying it alive.
3 Jergal Zadh Is An Elder God Who Rules An Entire Dimension
Jergal Zadh plagued Conan during his adventures in the Marvel comics series, and the being possessed enough raw power to be a particularly nasty thorn in his side. Zadh was an elder god who ruled over another dimension, and sought to conquer others as well.
He enacted a plan to draw Conan in and turn him into a mindless and obedient slave by tempting him to pick up a dark blade that would devour his soul. The plan failed when his herald Cleolanthe fell in love with Conan and betrayed Jergal Zadh.
2 The Changeling Can Steal Conan's Lifeforce & Assume His Form
This ancient alien entity arrived on Earth in a spaceship after fleeing the justice system of its own planet. During the Hyborian Age, the Changeling feigned friendship with Conan as the two pursued a band of criminals. Conan eventually came face to face with a giant spider and emerged victorious, but the Changeling took advantage by stealing his lifeforce and assuming his form.
Things wouldn't pan out well for the alien entity, however. After taking Conan's appearance, it was caught and executed by a squad of Zingaran soldiers, thereby returning Conan's life force and allowing him to recover fully from his potentially fatal ordeal.
1 Thoth Amon Is An Unapparelled Master Of The Dark Arts
Thoth Amon is considered the most famous villain in the Conan universe, and his origins date back all the way to Robert E. Howard's original stories. As such, he's widely considered the equivalent of Skeletor to Conan the Barbarian's He-Man, with the powers and abilities to prove it.
Of all the Stygian sorcerers, Thoth Amon is the most powerful and dangerous. His mastery over the dark arts is nearly unrivaled, and those abilities have threatened Conan's life on more than one occasion. The sorcerer made an appearance in the Conan the Destroyer film, though to much lesser degree.